Counselors met with Columbus high school students on Monday as they grieved the loss of two of their own.
Friends revealed on social media that Matthew K. Newland, 18, and Carmyn M. Elkins, 17, both of Columbus, had traveled to Indianapolis for an Indiana Pacers basketball game Friday. When returning home that night, their vehicle turned into the path of an oncoming southbound Louisville & Indiana train at U.S. 31 and West County Road 550N. Both died later that night.
A cross was placed near the railroad tracks with Newland’s picture at the top as a memorial, with greenery and lights wrapped around it. Messages written on the cross said “We miss you,” and “We all love you.” A Gatorade bottle, along with pieces of Newland’s vehicle, were gathered at the base of the base, along with a white rose and baby’s breath.
Newland, the 2018 North graduate who was driving, and Elkins, an East junior who was his passenger, were found unconscious in a heavily damaged gray 2015 Nissan Versa, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s deputies said. Investigators said Newland is believed to have driven through the U.S. 31 southbound turn lane to eastbound 550N and onto the tracks into the path of the freight train at 10:17 p.m. Friday.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery
Deputies said the turn lane at the intersection had a red light indicating motorists should stop and the train warning flashing lights were operating when the crash occurred. A witness confirmed that the train was blowing its horn at the time of the accident.
Both victims were extricated from the vehicle by Columbus firefighters, and Newland was pronounced dead at 11:24 p.m. Friday at Columbus Regional Hospital by the county coroner’s office. Elkins was pronounced dead at 11:52 p.m. Friday at Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital, Marion County coroner’s office officials said.
Cause of death for both individuals was blunt force traumatic injury, according to both coroners’ offices.
About 20 East students immediately took advantage of the counseling opportunity Monday morning at the school, and more were expected throughout the day, said Larry Perkinson, BCSC employee and student assistance coordinator. Counselors were also at Columbus North on Monday, and were prepared to head to any Bartholomew Consolidated school that requested help in the wake of Friday’s accident, school district officials said.
Newland graduated from North this past spring with academic and technical honors. He was active in the Edinburgh First Church of the Nazarene and the Calvary Church of the Nazarene, where he was involved in the praise and worship teams at both churches.
A video of Newland performing a song on YouTube was being circulated on social media and his family said in his obituary that he had a passion for music and was a composer.
Elkins was planning to graduate in 2020 with academic honors from East, where she had participated in Color Guard and Winter Guard. She was a cashier at Columbus’ eastside Walmart and attended The Ridge church in Columbus. In her obituary, her family described her as a gifted artist who was always drawing in her sketch books.
Perkinson said that while the memorial at the scene was a way to share love, caring and remembrance, it can also be hazardous to drivers or to students who might be near the train tracks and cautioned students about going to the scene to leave items.
Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers said Monday it will be awhile before the Indiana State Police releases its report from accident reconstructionists.
Investigators have dash camera video from the train, which confirms that the flashing warning lights were working at the crossing at the time of the accident and the train was sounding its horn, he said.
Details about how fast the train was going and how many train cars the locomotive was pulling have not yet been released.
The accident is the second double fatality involving a train in the past six weeks in Bartholomew County. Two people in a sports utility vehicle were killed Oct. 8 and a third was seriously injured at a northern Bartholomew County railroad crossing near Edinburgh. That accident happened at 11:47 p.m. along County Road 900N, about a mile east of U.S. 31 in the Edinburgh Industrial park area.
In that case, the driver disregarded a stop sign at the railroad crossing and drove into the path of a southbound Louisville & Indiana train, which consisted of two locomotives, which were not pulling any train cars.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Service arrangements” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Services for Carmyn Elkins have been set for 10:30 a.m. Friday at Barkes, Weaver & Glick Funeral Home, 1029 Washington St., Columbus. Friends may call from 3 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home and from 9:30 a.m. until service time on Friday. Memorial contributions are requested to go to the Bartholomew County Humane Society or the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St. Vincent Women’s Hospital.
Services for Matthew Newland are set for 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Jewell-Rittman Family Funeral Home, 3855 25th St., Columbus. Calling is from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday at the funeral home and an hour prior to the service on Saturday. Memorial contributions may be made to the music department at Richards Elementary School in Columbus.
[sc:pullout-text-end]
